False Advertising Possible mimicry of
nectar-containing |
created 30 July 2013 revised 26 July 2017 |
Link to Jaltomata homepage |
The information on this page may be cited as a communication with professor Thomas Mione, Central Connecticut State University, Biology Department, Copernicus Hall, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06050-4010 USA, and Segundo Leiva G., Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Av. América Sur 3145, Casilla postal 1075, Trujillo, Peru |
this cell reserved for future literature citation |
When the red nectar is removed by floral visitors purple pigmentation of the corolla tissue shows, and this purple pigmentation may be mimicry of nectar by flowers lacking nectar. Alternatively, given that purple pigment is not the same color as the red nectar, the purple coloration that shows only when nectar is absent may be an honest signal. |
Figure 1. This is the base of the corolla
Flowers of this species produce
The darker purple we Photo by Segundo Leiva G. of
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Figure 2. Red nectar (not showing) Photo by Segundo Leiva G. of |
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Figure 3. Jaltomata neei Red nectar (showing) Photo by Segundo Leiva G. |
Figure 4. Jaltomata herrerae. The red "juice" in the flower is nectar. When the red nectar is removed by floral visitors the purple pigmentation in the corolla nectar troughs (figures 1 and 2) shows, and thus flowers lacking nectar may be mimicing those that have nectar, and flowers missing some nectar may be mimicing flowers having copious nectar. Here are two possibilities: 1) flowers that have had their nectar removed or partially removed by a visitor resemble flowers that have nectar, and 2) flowers that are blanks (flowers that don't produce nectar) resemble flowers that produce nectar. If an opportunity for more fieldwork arises I will find out if this species produces blanks. Another non-mutually exclusive possibility: The purple troughs of Jaltomata herrerae increase the conspicuousness of the flowers from the back, through the calyx, pollinators being able to visually fix on a flower either from the front or back. A photo of the purple/red coloration showing through the back of the flower, through the calyx, can be seen as figure 9 at the page of J. herrerae. |
Figure 5, above. Even though Jaltomata quipuscoae produces copious red nectar (showing in this photo), the filaments are purple, intensely purple at the base near the nectar. When the flower has been emptied of nectar by floral visitors this purple pigmentation may be mimicry of nectar by flowers lacking nectar. Photo by Victor Quipuscoa. |
Figure 6. Even though Jaltomata umbellata produces copious red nectar, there is reddish-purple pigmentation in the tissue of the proximal corolla tube (the reddish-purple in this photo is not nectar), as one can see in the flower on the left (it is at its earliest stage of being open). This reddish-purple pigmentation may be mimicry of nectar by flowers lacking nectar. Grown for study and photographed by Jamie Kostyun 2013, Mione 432. |
Figure 7. This is the base of the corolla of Jaltomata sanchez-vegae (the part we are viewing is normally against the calyx). In other words, we are looking at the bottom of the corolla with the calyx removed. This species has translucent nectar in nature. The purple pigmentation of the corolla of this species could be considered general exploitation of animals innate attraction to this color (not mimicry). Photo by Thomas Mione, Mione et al. 832. |
Key words: automimicry, colored nectar, deceptive pollination, deception leading to pollination, floral mimicry, floral automimicry, nectar, red nectar